'Australia's best landlord' has kept tenant's rent under $200 a week for more than 20 years
The landlord hasn't raised the rent in 20 years, despite inflation continuing to rise
Niamh Shackleton
Many people across the globe are facing a housing crisis.
Whether that's struggling to get on the property ladder because of ridiculous mortgage rates, or struggling to find an apartment in the city for less than $1,500 a month - millions of people are seeing a difference.
A recent report found that typical asking rent in the US is now $1,982 on average, which is up 3.3 percent compared to last year.
But this isn't the case for one fortunate Aussie renter, as his landlord hasn't raised his rent for almost 20 years.
Advert
Retired farmer John Webb, 90, rents out his two-bedroom single storey property at Mira Mar in Alban to fellow retiree, Carl Tilney.
Carl currently pays just $180 a week to live in the property - and has done for the last two decades.
This is compared to the average going rate of $350 a week to rent in the suburban town.
As to why he hasn't raised the rent, John basically does it out of the goodness of his own heart.
"In country communities, you look after each other... it's a part of me," he told ABC. "Why shouldn't we help each other? We shouldn't have to live in cars and out in the streets."
60-year-old Carl understandably appreciates John's decision to not raise his rent, especially as the retired builder largely lives off disability support pension.
Carl says he'd probably be living out of his car if it wasn't for John's kindness.
"I couldn't have done it without John," he told the Australian news outlet. "Otherwise I would be living in my car. There's no way I could afford anything else that's around.
"I don't know what I would do without it and we get on, that's the main thing."
Carl has long suffered with health issues having injured his back while building.
With this in mind, John thought that 'perhaps [he] could keep the rent down as much as possible for him'.
In regards to maintaining the house, if there's anything that needs fixing at the property, John and Carl simply fix it together.
In light of their apparent friendship and John keeping Carl's rent so low, Carl believes that the 90-year-old is 'up there' as one of Australia's best landlords.
"I have had a couple of good landlords, but I've never had anybody like John," he said.
According to data by property research firm CoreLogic, rental prices have been going up - on average - two percent a year in Australia, so Carl is sure lucky to have found a friend in John.